Featured News
Sixth-best-in-Europe accolade provides great boost for Warwickshire tourist industry
Warwickshire's tourism industry has received a giant boost with the accolade of sixth most must-see location in Europe from one of the world's most renowned travel guides.
In its list of recommended places to visit this summer, the Lonely Planet guide named Warwickshire as the best location in the United Kingdom and put only five - The Peloponnese (Greece), Aarhus (Denmark), Venice (Italy), The Dordogne (France) and Lviv (Ukraine) - above it Europe-wide.
It is a massive coup for the county as some members of the guide's vast global audience are sure to head to Warwickshire as a direct result of reading about it.
Tourism is a huge driver of the county's economy. The sector supports over 18,000 jobs and generates around £1 billion into the Warwickshire economy every year (£1,042,665,500 in 2014, the Warwickshire tourism impact survey revealed).
"Warwickshire County Council is delighted that Warwickshire has been voted the sixth-best place to visit in the top ten of Europe by the Lonely Planet," said Cllr Jeff Clarke, the county council's portfolio holder for the environment. "We are also the only UK destination to make the select list and the endorsement will be hugely significant for our region, which boasts a huge amount of world-class attractions and areas of countryside for visitors and residents to enjoy."
Cllr Phil Johnson, chairman of the Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee, added: "There is so much to be proud of and to enjoy in our wonderful county and to receive this accolade underlines the huge interest that Warwickshire's history and heritage holds for people from all over the world."
Warwickshire County Council is constantly working in partnership with destination management organisations like Shakespeare's England and Northern Warwickshire Tourism Association to promote what the county has to offer internationally.
The county is rich in visitor attractions, historic houses and celebrated gardens and has magnificent castles at Kenilworth and Warwick. There is also Stratford-upon-Avon, famed as the birthplace of William Shakespeare, but also so much more - from theatres and stately homes to cycle-paths and boat-trips, visitors to Warwickshire are spoilt for choice for things to see and do.
The county's market towns and villages fuse the magical heritage of old England with the contemporary bustle of irresistible shopping, farmers’ markets and restaurants. Quirky surprises are also thick on the ground, including the Atherstone Ball Game which dates from medieval times. Rugby is the birthplace of the sport and will later this year see the opening of the Rugby Hall of Fame based in the art gallery in the town centre - just one more world-class visitor attraction for visitors from around the world.
The much-coveted Lonely Planet list is compiled from extensive research involving, of course, visits to all the places.
"Our Best in Europe 2016 list offers up our recommendations for travellers seeking an authentic experience in Europe," said editorial director Tom Hall. "These destinations should be on any traveller's wish list this summer."
As part of its commitment to the tourism sector, Warwickshire County Council is, alongside Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Coventry City Council and Shakespeare's England, sponsoring the annual Coventry and Warwickshire Tourism and Culture Awards, to be held at the Ricoh Arena on September 22nd.
The Warwickshire awards company that’s a worldwide winner
Melanie Osborne of Special EFX with a miniature version of the Aviva Women's Tour trophy
When the County Council commissioned a trophy for the Aviva Women’s tour they wanted a product fit for a world class cyclist. Warwickshire based EFX were only too happy to deliver the goods.
“People are often taken aback to find we are such a high-tech manufacturing company in such a rural setting,” says Melanie Osborne of EFX.
The company, which is based in Ettington near Stratford-upon-Avon, has carved out a worldwide reputation as a leader in awards design and manufacture. The company employs 35 staff at its 14,000 sq feet production site and is behind many of the most prestigious awards in sport, industry, public service and entertainment.
EFX was delighted to be involved in the production of the Aviva Women’s Tour trophy, designed by Whitnash school pupil and competition design winner, Matthew Jordan. The County Council, which hosted Stage 2 of the Aviva Women’s Tour, along with partners the University of Warwick, set a challenge for school children across the County to design both the start flag for the start of the race in Atherstone, as well as the stage winner trophy. The award was presented on the finish podium in Stratford-upon-Avon to cycling star Amy Pieters, who took stage two of the tour after a thrilling race through Warwickshire. Images of the race and the awards presentations were broadcast on ITV4 and across the globe, putting Warwickshire firmly in the international sporting spotlight.
“It was wonderful to play a part in the Women’s Tour and to see so much interest in cycling locally,” says Melanie whose company makes a range of trophies for sporting occasions ranging from the British Grand Prix to World Hockey.
Founded by Melanie’s husband Peter in the 1970s, the company started in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter making gentlemen’s gifts and accessories. The highly skilled team moved to Ettington in the 1990s and established EFX specialising in bespoke awards, trophies, plaques and medals.
From working for global giants to small organisations, every job is different and the company prides itself on being able to interpret a wide range of briefs within challenging timescales. The choice of materials is extensive from gold, silver and nickel plated aluminium to cut glass and crystal to acrylic, recycled plastics and sustainable wood.
“Having our own design and manufacturing base here in the UK means we can meet short lead times as well as providing a high quality product,” explains Melanie. She is also proud of her rural Warwickshire base which offers staff a “beautiful place to work”, surrounded by 3,000 acres of woodland.
The company continues to invest in both its staff and technology and last year spent half a million pounds on laser cutting and engraving machines, a 3D scanner, an acrylic polishing machine and a water treatment plant.
The wide range of processes carried out on site include 2D and 3D CAD design, rapid prototyping, 3D machining, water-jet and laser cutting, polishing, electroplating, laser engraving, digital UV printing and assembly.
Although the business has expanded into a multimillion pound company with growing global sales, EFX is proud to remain a rural, family firm. The firm’s values of high standards, enthusiasm, the nurturing of family values in the workplace, dedication and innovation all led to EFX winning the Rural Family Business of the Year in the Family Business Awards (2011).
“We enjoy showing clients what we are capable of,” concludes Melanie “and we get tremendous job satisfaction from creating custom-made, high quality products, many of which are completed in a short time frame. Whether we are receiving a request from Singapore at 5am for an event in Paris or a brief from a client in New York for an awards ceremony in Stockholm, we enjoy the challenge.”
Whether it’s Stockholm or Stratford-upon-Avon, EFX is a winner in its own right.
Fore more information about EFX, please visit https://www.efx.co.uk/.
Post-referendum advice available from Chamber of Commerce hotline
The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce is striving to offer companies all the advice and support it can following the referendum verdict from the UK to leave the European Union.
The Chamber has acted swiftly to try to keep businesses as well as informed as possible in these uncertain times. Ahead of the decision, it announced that it would launch a 'Go For Growth' post-referendum telephone support line, with advisers available to offer impartial support to businesses, and that support line is now up and running.
Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The referendum has, in itself, caused a great deal of uncertainty within the economy and while we now have a verdict, the uncertainty will continue due to the fact that we don’t know the process and the timescales of the exit.
“We have already seen the market reaction and that will be of major concern to businesses and individuals - and that means we are going to need very strong leadership at all levels.
“The first priority is ensuring stability – this, above politics, has to be put first. Chamber members were split on what outcome they wanted, but a leave vote was always going to be the most difficult to mitigate. That’s not to say that it should put business growth on hold, but it does mean we need clarity on how we move forward and clear and decisive action."
Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce is committed to ensuring that as much information and guidance as possible is made publically available.
“We decided we would launch the hotline, whatever the outcome, in order to offer impartial advice," said Ms Bennett. "In the short term, other than the uncertainty, nothing should technically change but, as we have seen previously, confidence is key and it’s vitally important that we get a proper plan to deal with this verdict.
“So we wanted to offer businesses the reassurance that they can grow and prosper and go ahead with their plans for expansion.
“In the long term, of course, it’s vital that the government negotiates the very best deal for the UK and one that puts our opportunities to trade with the EU and the rest of the world at the very centre of our exit strategy.
“Again, our exporters should get in touch if they have any concerns or, indeed, if they see this as an opportunity to expand their horizons when it comes to international trade. The team based here in the Chamber’s International Trade Hub will be able to offer guidance on that.
"However, we are anticipating lots of questions on what this will mean for the future around trade with the EU, regulations, staffing where businesses have employees from the EU and a whole host of other issues this will throw up.
“In the short term, the answer is nothing should technically change but we are going to need very clear answers.”
For further information please call 02476 654321 and ask for business support or visit www.cw-chamber.co.uk.
Addressing the digital-skills crisis will lead to long-term growth
The digital economy is of ever-increasing importance to businesses across the UK, and in Warwickshire as much as anywhere - yet this most vital sector is facing a skills crisis.
But it is a situation which, while challenging in the short term, holds considerable long-term potential for the county's business to grow its economic output. Warwickshire County Council economist Natalie Henderson explains.
It is recognised that, on a national basis, boosting the UK’s digital economy is a highly important factor for long-term economic prosperity.
Business Matters, a leading UK magazine for SMEs, recently reported that the digital economy accounts for over a third of overall GDP - with that figure predicted to grow to over £764bn by 2020.
In Warwickshire, the role of the digital economy for future growth will be very significant. South Warwickshire in particular has a growing digital cluster of economic activity and, with an increasing number of IT and gaming businesses, there is strong demand for digital-tech workers in the local labour market.
Figure 1: Advertised digital-tech job growth by TTWA
Source: Labour Insight
With the inclusion of the Warwick & Stratford travel-to-work area, its significant growth rate of 143% (equivalent to 3,950 additional jobs) means that South Warwickshire nearly tripled its advertised digital job vacancies during 2014-15. Compared to Technation’s top English digital clusters, Warwick & Stratford achieved the second-highest growth behind Worcester & Malvern, with Birmingham not far behind – highlighting the strong presence of digital-tech demand in the West Midlands region.
Figure 2: Digital-tech LQ analysis by TTWA
|
Technation’s top digital clusters (England only)
|
Location Quotient
|
|
Cambridge
|
93.38
|
|
London
|
74.94
|
|
Reading and Bracknell
|
68.58
|
|
Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon
|
63.57
|
|
Leeds
|
51.68
|
|
Oxford
|
46.11
|
|
Birmingham
|
42.91
|
|
Manchester
|
42.45
|
Source: Labour Insight
Figure 2 shows the concentration of digital-tech jobs posted in 2015 relative to the national average. Outside London and the south-east, Warwick & Stratford has the highest density of 64 digital-tech jobs per 1,000 people employed when compared with Technation’s top clusters in the country. This suggests that demand for digital-tech workers in the Warwick & Stratford TTWA is higher than the national average.
The high demand for digital-tech roles is partly reflective of the growing digital skills crisis that faces Warwickshire and the rest of the UK. Nationally, the UK needs an additional 745,000 workers with digital skills by 2017; with the skills gap costing the economy around £63 billion a year in lost income. The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee recently called upon businesses to invest more and provide better training at all levels to improve long-term performance.
Within Warwickshire, a similar picture emerges. Jobs requiring the study of Mathematical & Computer Sciences and Technologies are projected to grow by 5% during 2015-22; equating to an increase of nearly 1,000 jobs across Warwickshire. Programmers and software developers are the most in demand; which shows the importance of digital-tech activity in Warwickshire.
However, one in five employers (20%) believe that the skill gaps in their workplace are caused by the introduction of new technology, with more than a quarter (27%) agreeing that they find it difficult to recruit staff with the required skills. Just under half of all employers (45%) report that less than 20% of their staff have a Level Four qualification. This highlights the difficulties in hiring higher-skilled workers to fill vacancies.
With opportunities and challenges alike facing businesses across Warwickshire, it is vital that all are addressed for the digital economy to grow further. It is important that the workforce is well-equipped with the digital skills that businesses need to expand and operate competitively. A higher-than-average number of digital-tech industries recruiting in Warwickshire ensures that there is significant potential for businesses and economic output to grow in the long term, despite difficulties faced ahead.
Council grant is vital ingredient in micro-brewery success
A micro-brewery and a farmers' market are among a wide variety of firms set to share almost half a million pounds of growth funding from Warwickshire County Council.
The council has so far awarded grants to 21 firms following last October's announcement of £1 million available to small businesses over three years.
The grants, worth £5,000 to £35,000, are going to small businesses for capital assets such as buildings or plant, machinery and equipment.
Projects funded include Church Farm Brewery, Budbrooke which has been awarded £25,000 (with match funding of £100,000 from the business) to purchase and install a twenty-barrel brewing plant.
The former dairy farm set up the microbrewery in 2012 as a diversification business, using converted milk processing and holding vessels to brew its beer. Since then, the business has gone from strength to strength producing a range of hand crafted ales using only the finest local ingredients.
However, progress was being hampered by brewing equipment which needed updating.
Sam Brown, Master Brewer of Church Farm Brewery, said:
“To continue to grow, we needed a custom brewery installation with the capacity to deliver increasing demand over the next five years. Thanks to the grant from Warwickshire County Council, we’ve been able to buy and instal new equipment which will increase our brewing capacity from 140 to 400 barrels per week, as well as accommodate a planned expansion.
“The quality of our beers has been the foundation to our success from the start. Our customers value the consistency of our product and the fact that we use local suppliers where possible for our high quality, sustainable ingredients.
"Now we’ll be able to make greater capital out of the current trend for Artisan beers as we’ll be able to create more varieties of beer which will give us greater reach in terms of target markets.
"We have lots of plans for the future which we can now realise, including exportation to Europe and Scandinavia where there is a huge demand for craft beers.”
Another business to benefit from a county council grant is Stoneleigh-based Rugby Farmers Mart which was founded in 2006 to replace the livestock market in Rugby, and started trading two years later at Stoneleigh Park.
Rugby Farmers Mart has been awarded £27,708 (with match funding of £41,562 from the business) for new sheep-pens and a walkway and the money has had an immediate impact, increasing the firm’s ability to serve local customers and attract business to Warwickshire from across the country.
“The grant has been very useful,” said head auctioneer Tom Wrench. “The first phase is already in place and giving us greater capacity which is very important because, while we have a strong local customer-base, we also have buyers and sellers coming from as far afield as Essex, Kent and north Yorkshire.
“The grant has also enabled us to take on an apprentice – a trainee auctioneer.”
The council funding is designed to help businesses access capital investment that will help them diversify or modernise their operations, leading to increased turnover and job creation or protection. The grant can be up to 40% of the total costs.
The funding has been directed towards small enterprises (fewer than 50 employees) primarily in the following sectors identified as key growth areas for the local economy:
- manufacturing/ advanced engineering
- automotive
- intelligent transport systems
- IT services/ digital media and creative industries
- low carbon technologies
- business and professional services
- tourism
For more information and to check the potential eligibility of a project please visit: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/businessgrants or contact Warwickshire County Council’s Economy and Skills Group on Tel: 01926 412709.
Early signs suggest business support helped make Aviva Women's Tour a success
Warwickshire's business community offered the warmest of welcomes to the world's top cyclists when the county hosted one of the five stages of the prestigious Aviva Women's Tour, part of the Unione Cycliste International's calendar of racing.
And the early signs are that the Warwickshire Stage of the event was a great success after it harnessed the support of businesses and communities, as well as an estimated 6,000 school pupils, across the county.
An Economic Impact Assessment is now being undertaken into the event, which was hosted by Warwickshire County Council in partnership with The University of Warwick and supported by Aldi (whose headquarters are in north Warwickshire), the Mallory Court Hotel in Leamington Spa and The Arden Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon (both part of the Eden Hotel Collection).
Once complete, the assessment will be publicised by the council - watch out for future editions of Warwickshire Means Business for news on this.
While the economic benefit is still to be fully quantified, there is no doubting the lift in profile and footfall the event brought to the county on June 16. After months of anticipation, some of the world’s highest-ranking female cyclists arrived and support for the event was outstanding across the county with spectators gathering all along the route.
Working with participating district and borough authorities to maximise community involvement, the Women’s Tour started strongly in Atherstone. Residents and councillors cheered as Gemma Nash, of the local St Benedict’s RC Primary School, started the race with a flag that she had designed through a local schools competition.
As well as many town and villages in Warwickshire, the Tour also went through the campus of the University where they were greeted to a wall of noise from the 200 Year Six students that were invited to watch the race.
There was a minor detour due to some flooding in Kenilworth but the peloton wasn’t fazed. The riders pushed on through the inclement weather to Warwick Market Square, where the crowds of onlookers included numerous county councillors, then on past Warwick Technology Park.
Back out into the countryside, there was great support even at the top of a very wet hill at the Burton Dassett Hills Country Park for the 1.9km “Queen of the Mountains” climb.
“It was fantastic to see so much support for the event across Warwickshire”, said Warwickshire County Council leader Cllr Izzi Seccombe. “I truly hope people enjoyed the AVIVA Women’s Tour’s exciting visit to Warwickshire and I’d like to thank everybody involved in organising a brilliant day.
“We hope it will leave a legacy of enthusiasm for sports like cycling in the county."
Matthew finds fertile ground at Centenary Business Centre
For a young person taking the bold step to start your own business, there are a few things which it is very helpful to have close by: good advisors, a solid support network, reliable suppliers.
Oh yes and customers. They come in handy too.
So when Matthew Rogers launched his computer sales and repair business he was delighted to find all of those, remarkably, under one roof - at the Centenary Business Centre in Hammond Close, Nuneaton.
Matthew created Milifuzz last spring when he decided to turn his computer expertise into his livelihood.
Armed with plenty of relevant qualifications and experience, and a small but crucial loan from the Prince's Trust, he was ready to go.
He just needed a base - and for that he didn't have to look far from his Attleborough home.
"The Centenary Business Centre is perfect," said 23-year-old Matthew.
"I started with literally nothing. But since I started up the business I haven't stopped - and a lot of the business has actually come from within the centre. Every company has computers!
"It's brilliant to have so many businesses close at hand - and not just in terms of picking up customers. We all benefit from each other here. I get all my labelling done by a guy over the road. Another one does all my shipping.
"And the staff here at the centre are brilliant. When you are just starting out in business there are so many things that you really need help with, like tax and all the paperwork, and the staff are always pleasant and always helpful. For the amount of knowledge they have, whatever they are paid, it's not enough!"
All that support is invaluable, of course. But you still need the right product or service to attract and keep customers. And the right skills to deliver them.
Matthew's skills, driven by a big work ethic, are well-honed.
"I did work experience at all sorts of companies," he said. "The best was at Barrs Hill School in, Coventry. That taught me a hell of a lot. The guys in network support there, Anthony and Alan, were brilliant and I learned so much, especially when we were troubleshooting. I picked up knowledge that I use every day now."
It is very early days, but Millifuzz has made a strong start in the fertile business ground of the Centenary Business Centre.
"It has gone very well so far," said Matthew. "In fact I'm already looking to move to a bigger unit - within the Centenary Centre, of course. Why would I want to leave here?"
For more information about Centenary Business Centre please visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/cbc
Invest in Warwickshire – showcasing the automotive industry
The automotive industry across Warwickshire was showcased to a large audience at the NEC in Birmingham when Automechanika, the world’s leading automotive industry event, made its UK debut.
Ian Flynn and Louise Richardson from Warwickshire County Council's Invest in Warwickshire team joined colleagues from across the West Midlands to exhibit the strength of the local automotive industry to the 10,000 visitors who came to the show over the three days.
Some 550 domestic exhibitors were joined at Automechanika by international exhibitors from across the globe. A whole section of the show was dedicated to suppliers from China many of whom were showcasing their products in the UK for the first time.
The regional team highlighted why the West Midlands was an ideal place for automotive firms to locate and expand. Visitors to the stand had the opportunity to find out about key issues including access to finance, the area’s talent pool and the ease of doing business.
The West Midlands region has one of the strongest automotive industries in the world with the Drive West Midlands programme, launched in 2015, represented at the show.
Ian Flynn, Inward Investment Manager at Invest in Warwickshire, said: “Representing the county at the show, as part of the Drive West Midlands presence, was a perfect opportunity to highlight just what the county has to offer to automotive businesses looking to expand or relocate into the area.”
For more information about the Drive West Midlands programme, please visit www.drivewestmidlands.co.uk
Ragley Hall - a glorious stately home run along serious business lines
Warwickshire has just been named the sixth most must-see destination in Europe - and the top must-see locations of all in the UK - by the Lonely Planet guide. The accolade came as a giant boost to a tourism industry which pumps £720 million a year into the economy.
The tourism industry is driven heavily, of course, by the county's many stunning historical locations. At each of these, behind the grandeur of the buildings and grounds, lie the hard realities of running a business. Alan Granger, chief executive and resident land agent at Ragley Hall, near Alcester, explains.
Ragley Hall, nestling in the breathtaking countryside of south Warwickshire, is not a bad place to have an office, admits Alan Granger.
An elegant Grade One-listed mansion, the hall sits at the centre of a magnificent 6,500-acre estate of rolling parkland.
"There are very few days when I don't want to come into the office," said Alan, who has been chief executive at Ragley Hall for 15 years. "It is a fantastic environment to work in. A special place."
Special, it certainly is. Yet on a business level, the same gruelling fundamentals apply at Ragley as at anywhere.
Alan's job, like that of any CEO, has its challenges. The same ones that apply to any business, in fact, plus a few that do not apply to most.
Like striving for commercial profitability while respecting and maintaining an estate which has been the ancestral seat of the resident family for more than 300 years. That's a big, complex job.
"It is tough for us, just like it is for all businesses," Alan said. "Like everyone we are dealing with rises in tax-liability, the cost of inputs rises in VAT and the cost of employing people while, all the time, people expect to pay less for services.
"We're no different to any other business in having to deal with those factors. Where we are different is that we need to be commercially effective but, at a place like this, it is not just about profit. It is also about doing the right thing."
Ragley Hall is home to the ninth Marquess and Marchioness of Hertford and their four children and has been the family seat since 1680. There's some serious history to the place.
That history almost ended in the 1950s when the trustees wanted to demolish it - only for nine-year-old Hugh Hertford, the eighth Marquess, to forbid it as he intended to live there one day.
Ragley Hall escaped demolition. Instead came reinvention. The spectacular estate held obvious commercial opportunities and in 1958 was opened to the public for the first time. Since then the quest to exploit those opportunities has been ongoing.
There are five strands to its business. Rental income and the farm are the two biggest income-streams, each generating around £1.5million per year alongside the house business, the retail butcher's and woodland businesses. The estate employs 45 staff full-time and more than 40 seasonal.
"The big challenge is finding the cash to do all the things we want to do," Alan said. "We need a lot of people - and people are expensive. We have a lot of assets but they are mostly tied up in property, so we have to generate income.
"Maintenance costs on the hall alone run to hundreds of thousands of pounds per year. The hall is a significant burden for the estate to maintain - but the reason the estate is here is to look after the hall.
"It is a big operation. When you think of everyone who live or work on the estate there are probably around 600 people whose livelihoods are directly connected with it."
To safeguard those livelihoods, this ancient ancestral seat has diversified. It hosts all manner of events from car rallies to wedding receptions and conferences to cricket matches. Film-makers have been seduced by its grandeur. Ragley has featured in TV productions as wide-ranging as Dr Who (The Girl in the Fireplace in 2006), Vanity Fair, The Scarlet Pimpernel and Flog It.
"We have to make the most of this wonderful place," said Alan, "but of course within the constraints of the hall being Grade One listed. We cannot and certainly wouldn't wish to go down the theme-park route.
"Our challenge is similar to that facing the National Trust: to excite people about what is essentially the natural landscape and offer them an old-fashioned day out in a beautiful place."
There are few more beautiful places than Ragley Hall. And powered by Alan's team, and a constantly evolving business plan, it appears that, as well as a long history, it has a bright and busy future.
Aston Martin site perfect location for new fire station
Work on a new fire station located on the Aston Martin site at Banbury Road, Gaydon has begun.
The new station, which will have excellent access to the B4100 and the M40 junction, is expected to be completed later this month. As well as supporting the community of Gaydon, the station's access to the road networks will ensure that support can also be provided to the south of the county.
The new station will be 'peak demand', which means that firefighters will be on station from 7am to 7pm. It will be home to one fire engine and 12 firefighters, who will further enhance and support the Service’s response model.
The station is being built by the appointed contractors, Keirs, with full support from Aston Martin and JLR who are working in partnership with the Service to ensure they are able to make the best use of the site. The new build will cost £760,000 and has been funded through Department for Communities and Local Government transformation grant funding.
The new station will provide crews with a great location from which to deal with road traffic collisions on the M40 and incidents in and around the south of the county. It will also provide them with a great base to carry out more risk-reduction work, which will help to keep Warwickshire communities safer.
Talking about the new station, Chief Fire Officer Andy Hickmott said: "We are delighted that the new build is underway. The location is great for access to the south of the county and the pilot for a Gaydon response-point has proved a real success, so we know it will improve our resilience, increase community safety and ensure that we have the right cover for when we need it the most.”
Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Councillor John Horner said: “A new station is great news for the community of Warwickshire. It has been built to meet the current needs of the population and to enhance our response in the south of the county.
"As a public service we have a duty to provide the best possible service to protect the communities of Warwickshire and I believe that this new station will help us to achieve that.”
Councillor Matt Western, Chair of the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee added: “I am really pleased that the work on the new station is now underway. It will be a great asset to the communities of Warwickshire and will further enhance our response to incidents in and around the M40 area and our community fire safety work within local communities.”
For more information on Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service log ontowww.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue
New county council grant helping schools 'Build a Business Network'
Support from the business community is proving strong for new grants aimed at helping schools develop business networks to improve the employability skills of young people - and increase job opportunities.
The Build a Business Network grant scheme has been created by Warwickshire County Council to ease access for schools to funding of up to £3,000 to help them establish mutually fruitful networks with local firms.
The grant has been created in response to feedback from schools and businesses which say they need more advice and support to understand the benefits of working together and the best options for collaborating.
Paul Miles Rogers, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses Warwickshire and Coventry said: “One of the key objectives of the FSB is to get young people interested in business and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
"We want to see more business leaders developing close links with their local schools and colleges. The benefits are clear, not only for students but also firms that engage with schools because it can provide a valuable recruitment-channel. Work-experience, inspiring careers guidance and regular contact with local businesses will help more pupils acquire the skills they need to be workforce-ready.
"Warwickshire County Council’s Build a Business Network grant will help inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to give business a go.”
The grants will enable schools to commission an organisation such as the Chamber of Commerce to create and facilitate a business network between schools and local firms.
The grant guidance and application form are available here:
Build a Business Network Grant Guidance
Build a Business Network Grant Application Form
Applications can be made until 30 September 2016.
Customers go potty for Hum Partnership’s colourful plant pots
Unusual and eye-catching plant pots created by Southam-based Hum Partnership are adorning gardens around the UK. Set up just two years ago, the firm is going from strength to strength - boosted by a grant of £25,000 from Warwickshire County Council (with match funding of £39,110 from the business).
Warwickshire Means Business caught up with Lara Kelly, co-owner of Hum Partnership, to hear the story behind the company’s success.
Why Warwickshire?
We live near Southam and, although we’ve lived in various parts of England and Scotland, this is our favourite part of the UK. It's very handy for business, being in the middle of the country.
What were you doing before you set up Hum Partnership?
I was a freelance copywriter, as well as mum and housewife, and my husband Tim was MD of a successful business. About three years ago, we had both hit our forties and it just seemed like a 'now or never' time to do something completely different!
What made you decide to set the business up?
We decided to start a new business which would give us more flexible working hours and enable us to share the family responsibilities more equally. It was always going to be hard work starting from scratch, but we had some savings and were determined to succeed. Between us, we have a wide range of skills and experience, so we knew each could take the lead on different areas of the business such as sales, marketing and admin.
Having said that, we are both constantly having to learn new skills as the need arises, such as sorting out website integrations and commissioning product display stands.
Why plant pots?
We had been thinking about various business ideas when we found ourselves in a garden centre. We were looking for outdoor plant pots to brighten up our patio - but found a gap in the market. There were lots of traditional flower pots but not much in contemporary colours and patterns.
I love anything to do with interior design and architecture and also like the idea of linking indoor and outdoor spaces to create a harmonious style. Neither of us is particularly good with plants, but we like them. And we thought there must be a lot of people out there like us who wouldn't call themselves gardeners but like stylish products.
The idea made sense to us, so we quickly set about researching different manufacturing techniques and talking to designers about what we wanted to do, and the project grew from there. We have spent the past two years working with highly experienced British manufacturers, perfecting the technique - and both of us have learned an awful lot about plastic!
What do you think has been the reason for your success?
Any new business needs huge enthusiasm and determination to get through the initial launch phase, and we've definitely got that. The advice, help and support of friends, neighbours and complete strangers has been important too. People are usually very happy to give us tips and business advice, or put us in touch with someone who can help, and that's been invaluable.
We also made the most of help available to start-ups, whether from trade organisations, local government or UK Trade & Investment. We've had some excellent mentoring help through Warwickshire County Council, at no cost, and were also awarded one of WCC’s micro-enterprise grants. We had to spend a lot of time and effort on presenting a good business case, but it was well worth the effort.
The grant has meant we can keep growing. In fact, it's possible that without it we might not still be here. We were getting interest from big customers but there is no point having interest without the ability to supply customers with the quantities and at the speed they expect. We badly needed to scale up production and the WCC grant enabled us to upgrade our manufacturing and create a fully automated production line.
How have you found Warwickshire as a business location?
Ideal! We have good motorway access and a wealth of local businesses around us. Many of our suppliers are Midlands-based, and we have recently been creating bespoke designs for a well-respected local company, Hawkesmill Nurseries, near Kenilworth.
The local branch of UKTI supported and advised on exports and we've tapped into the research facilities at Warwick University where our pots have been tested for their UV resistance.
What are your plans for the future?
Developing the business is our main priority. We are building up our customer-base in the UK and our exports are growing. We’re constantly working on new patterns for our pots and will soon be adding different sizes, so that we can continue to refresh our offering. The production technique enables us to apply bespoke patterns to our pots, for high volume orders, and this is an area we are currently developing too.
Warwickshire County Council has so far awarded grants to 21 firms following the announcement in October 2015 of £1 million available to small businesses over three years. For more information about small business grants or to check the eligibility of a project please visit: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/businessgrants or contact Warwickshire County Council’s Economy and Skills Group on Tel: 01926 412709.
FSB Rugby Expo and Networking Breakfast
Members of Warwickshire County Council’s Economy & Skills team will be in Rugby on Friday July 22 to attend an Expo & Networking Breakfast held by the town's branch of the Warwickshire & Coventry Federation of Small Businesses.
The Morgan Centre at Rugby College, in Technology Drive, will be the venue for the Expo which will run from 7am to 9am.
The event presents an excellent opportunity for representatives of small businesses to mingle with like-minds in informal surroundings and find out more about services on offer from the county council's Economy & Skills team.
Visitors will be able to learn about the many ways in which the team offers support to small businesses. Help and advice will be available on a range of subjects including:
- Apprenticeships
- Support to find commercial premises
- Linking with schools and colleges
- Grants & loans.
To book a place at the Expo please visit http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/09303-220716-expo-and-networking-breakfast-hosted-by-rugby-fsb-tickets-20945081302?ref=ebtn
How the Cyber Essentials scheme can benefit your business
Business Watch, run by Warwickshire County Council, and created in partnership with Warwickshire Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner, exists to raise awareness of the escalating threat of cyber-crime.
In his latest regular contribution to Warwickshire Means Business, Alex Williams, business crime advisor for Warwickshire Business Watch, explains the benefits of the Cyber Essentials scheme.
In the last issue of Warwickshire Means Business I discussed some general top tips regarding your business’ security.
This time I'd like to talk about the Cyber Essentials scheme and how it can help you keep your business safe from the rising threat of cyber-attack.
In line with the Government’s 'Ten steps to Cyber Security', Cyber Essentials is a Government-backed scheme encouraging businesses to review their cyber security. It is for all organisations of all sizes and all sectors of business.
Cyber Essentials Basic and Cyber Essentials PLUS both cover five areas: Secure configuration, boundary firewalls and internet gateways, access controls, patch (update), management and Malware protection.
Cyber Essentials Basic
Cyber Essentials Basic requires the organisation to complete a self-assessment questionnaire and have it signed off by the CEO of the business - then the response is independently reviewed by a certifying body.
Cyber Essentials PLUS
Cyber Essentials PLUS offers a higher level of assurance through the external testing of the organisation’s cyber security approach. Cyber Essentials Plus comprises remote and on-site vulnerability testing to check whether the controls claimed actually defend against basic hacking and phishing attacks.
What are the benefits?
- Security measures in place to address any vulnerabilities identified.
- Cyber Liability Insurance included.
- Access to exclusive contracts, mandatory for central Government contracts since October 2014, which involve handling personal information and providing certain ICT products and services. (also, as of October 2015, mandatory for all Ministry of Defence contracts).
What are the costs involved?
Cyber Essentials documents are free to download and can be used to either attain Cyber Essentials or to simply self-assess and apply the appropriate controls. In order to gain the certifications and use of the badge, Cyber Essentials basic costs £300 but Cyber Essentials PLUS varies depending on the size of the business as this will impact on the amount of testing to be done.
If you would like more information on Cyber Essentials please contact the Business Crime Advisor on alexcharleswilliams@warwickshire.gov.uk or 0792 081 4897.
Our website, www.warwickshirebusinesswatch.co.uk, and twitter account @WarksBusiness are now in full flow providing an array of information for businesses. The alert system has been updated which allows for messages to be sent immediately and possesses a range of additional features including maps. In order to continue to receive alerts or if you’d like to start to receive them, please visit the Warwickshire Business Watch website and follow the link to sign up.
Also remember to visit the Warwickshire Business Watch website for a wide r\ange of advice sheets, useful links and events.
Invest in Warwickshire team will be at Stratford Business Show
Warwickshire County Council's Invest in Warwickshire team will be among the delegates at the eighth annual Stratford Business Show in September.
The popular event will be held on September 28th from 9am to 4pm and will once again be taking place at the Stratford Arts House.
Last year around 100 local businesses exhibited at the show and more than 300 delegates attended during the day. The county council's Invest in Warwickshire team were there, as they will be again this time to be on hand throughout the day to talk to delegates about their commercial property needs.
An early-morning Network Breakfast will kick-starts the show with breakfast provided by Aubrey Allen Catering, butchers to the Royal Household.
The whole show is a great opportunity to meet and network with other local companies. If you would like to attend, find out more at: http://www.stratford-business-forum.co.uk/cp3.php
Need a desk space this summer in Stratford-upon-Avon?
Small businesses in need of desk space this summer can take advantage of facilities offered by the newly-opened Venture House Business Centre in Stratford-upon-Avon.
The newly transformed state-of-the-art business centre is offering five free days of hotdesking then, with the purchase of five more days for £60, an additional five days for free. This package is valid until 9 September.
Venture House, owned and managed by Stratford-on-Avon District Council, opened earlier this year and is already proving popular, particularly with small businesses, for the flexibility of the services it offer. New and growing businesses can access desk, office and meeting spaces available to hire for a day at a time, alongside affordable easy-in-easy-out office units that can seat between two and six people.
As well as free WiFi, photocopying, chill zones, on-site parking, cycle racks and a fully equipped meeting room for hire (which can take up to 30 people), users can also access valuable, specialist business support.
Venture House, at Avenue Farm Industrial Estate in Birmingham Road, has been enabled as part of a Growth Deal with Central Government, supported by Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Warwickshire County Council.
The ethos is very much on building a friendly business community, so any small business-owners are welcome to drop in to check out the facilities. A warm welcome awaits from the Venture House team.
For enquiries or to arrange a visit pleace call 01789 207500 or email: info@venturehousestratford.co.uk
CSW Broadband hits 50,000-premises milestone
Thousands more households and businesses in some of the most rural parts of Warwickshire will be able to access faster fibre broadband following the rollout of Wave Three of CSW Broadband.
CSW Broadband, designed to keep the county’s most rural areas connected, is a partnership between Warwickshire County Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, Coventry City Council, BT and Department for Culture Media & Sport.
Wave Three has now been announced with areas of Willoughby, Flecknoe, Meon Vale, Rowington and Stretton-Under-Fosse among the latest communities to benefit.
Additional parts of Southam, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Wellesbourne will also be upgraded from this summer.
Some of the county’s most remote areas are now enjoying access to the fibre network including some which would never have been connected without the intervention of the CSW Broadband project.
This huge engineering programme is progressing well with a mixture of technologies deployed in this part of the roll-out, leading to most properties covered seeing a significant increase in their broadband download and upload speeds.
CSW Broadband has hit a major landmark with over 50,000 premises now able to connect to the new fibre network – an excellent achievement only just over two years since the first cabinet went live.
Upgrading to fibre broadband does not happen automatically. It’s an ‘opt in’ service, but because the network is being installed by Openreach it is ‘open’, so residents and businesses wanting to upgrade have a choice of fibre broadband service providers, with more than 140 now operating in the UK.
For more details please visit broadband@cswbroadband.org.uk.
Economy and Skills Group in running for two national awards
The county council’s Economy and Skills group are in the running for two national awards.
The Apprenticeship Hub is a finalist for the CIPD People Management Awards Best Apprenticeship Programme 2016. Known as one of the most prestigious events in the industry, the awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievement and valuable contribution that HR and learning and development make to the overall success of an organisation. The winner will be announced on 27th September.
The Warwickshire Rural Growth Network (which is managed by the Economy and Skills Group on behalf of the CWLEP) has been short-listed for the 2016 Enterprising Britain Awards. The awards are part of the Government's drive to increase entrepreneurial activity in the UK. There are four categories and the competition will decide who gets the title of "Most Enterprising Place in Britain" along with identifying the UK's entries to the European Enterprise Promotion Awards. The winners will be announced later in the year.